Is Africa the Dark Continent when it comes to the advertising industry? On the contrary, says Alan Edgar, Regional Creative Director, Ogilvy Africa and one of regional judges for African and Middle Eastern categories at this year's Loeries. It's alive and vibrant, but in dire need of world-class tertiary training institutions to tap into that potential.

The African Film Development Foundation, established in May 2012 in response to the need to promote ventures by Africans in the film industry and support stakeholders and organisations that make the films, seeks country representatives.

CNBC Africa, a CNBC International franchise owned by Africa Business News, has entered into a joint venture with Mozambique's state broadcaster, Televisão de Moçambique (TVM), and will open a bureau in Maputo. CNBC Africa's country bureau representative will be Sunnyboy Mshengu.

The Loerie Awards launched its 2011 campaign, Tuesday 15 March 2011, entitled "Don't hate. Create", created by Draftfcb and supported by a mobisite and specially developed augmented reality apps, linking digital technology to the printed media, along with a revamp of its award categories.

The 14th Time of the Writer international writers festival will be held from 14-19 March 2011, hosting 21 prominent writers from a dozen different countries in Durban, South Africa for a week of literary dialogue and exchange of ideas.

Jon Foster-Pedley, senior lecturer in strategy at the UCT Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB), has been appointed creativity and innovation advisor to the Namibia Business Innovation Centre Project, a new initiative combining a science park, technology park and business incubator.

Namibia's land reform programme is a "zero sum game" that merely swaps one form of poverty for another in its current resettlement programme, according to an independent report on attempts to find a equitable solution to racially skewed land ownership.